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A y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. FORD.

Corn Harvester.

Patented June 8, 1869.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Corn Harvester. N0. 9I,-005.- Patented June 8. 1869.

I I 'll N PETERS. Phomumo m hnr, Wnlhingtqn. 0.6.

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A MANDER FORD, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

Letters Patent No. 91,005, dated June 8, 1869 IMPROVEMENT Inooumnsnvns'rsns;

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

-To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, AMANDER FORD, of the city of Toledo, in the countyof Lucas, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Corn-Harvesters; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebein g had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon, which form a, part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a side elevation of my corn-harvester.

Figure 2 is a plain view of the same.

Figure 2 is a plan View of the machine when inverted.

My in vention consists of a corn-cutter, furnished with two circular andtwo straight knives, and with guides to conduct the cornstalks to saidknives. lt :ilso consists in making the two main guides adjustable, sothat they will expzmd'to adapt themselves to the distenee'of the cornrows apart. It also consists of several devices for holding the stalksin an upright position until they reach the point of disrha'rge, intheguides G 0, but are made shorter.

The object of guides u. and f is to keep the stalks in an uprightposition while subjected to the cuttingprocess.

M and N represent two additional platforms place above platform E, theupper platform M being de-, signed to support the uprights e e c andalso the shafts g g on which the toothed wheels K and K are hung.

The platfonnNis circular in front, and serves to give direction to thestains after they have entered between the guides O O and F F. i

O O designate two bevel-wheels on shafts q q, the 'saidsvheels beingplaced directly under the toothed wheels K and K, and gearing intocorresponding wheels S S, on the axle B.

To the rear of platforms M and N is the small platform I semicircular inshape, and designed to conduct the stelks to the centre of platform Dafter being out.

R R represent the secured tp each of the shafts toothedwheels K and K.

circular knives, one of which is q q, directly under'the G are theadditional guides 11 d and ff; which correspond .in shape with I Idesignate two other knives, which are fastened, at a slight descendingangle, on the top of guides, G O, and directly under the toothed wheelsK and K.

X X represent two metal rods, the outer ends of which are secured touprights, u, fig. 1, then coiled around upright V, and terminating atthe centre of platform I), at which point they are fastened to twovcords 3 y, the said cords being made to pass partly around burs u u,through the tops of bars V V, and then attached to the adjustablecross-bar W.

n n represent fwd levers, placed at the bottom of platform I), andinside of guides'G C.

To the end'of each of said levers is fastened a cord, I, which passesthrough a staple at the bottom of bar m, and'then returns to the handsof the operator.

It will be observed that as the corn-stalks accumulate in front of bar-VV they will force the said her back, and will also press against rods XX, and force them back. r

When a suff cient quantity of stalks is collected to form a shock, thebar W will be loosened at one end, and the stalks slid 0d the platformI).

It will be also remarked that the semicircular rod a, at the rear ofplatform M, is intended to act as a guide to bring the upper end of thestalks to the centre of bar WV.

In order to complete the adaptation of the guides O C to the distance ofthe rows apart, aspired spring, h, is coiled around each end of bar m,outside of guides C (l, the said spring occupying the space betweenguides O G, and the knobs on the end of bar on, and

acting on guides O 0.

Having thus described my machine,

\VhatIcleirn, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The adjusting orexpanding guides O 0, arranged" to operatesubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The knives I I, in combination with the expanding-guides G O,substantially as and for the purpose descrlbed.

3. The combination of stationary guides F E, with expanding-guides C C,as and for the purpose specified'r 4. -A corn-stalk cutter, consistingoftoothed wheels K K, circular knives R R, guides O O and F F, bar W, rodsX X, semicircular guide a, and stationary knivesI I, all combinedsubstantiallyasand for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that Lclaim the foregoing as my own, I aflix mysignature',in presence of two witnesses.

AMANDER FORD.

V Witnesses:

Geo. STEBBINS,

M. B. DOYLE.

